The present disclosure relates to semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structures and, more particularly, to SOI structures with local heat dissipater(s) and methods of forming the SOI devices.
Typically, with bulk semiconductor devices, heat that is generated internally during device operation (i.e., heat generated due to the self-heating effect) can dissipate quickly through the bulk semiconductor substrate and, thus, has little impact on device performance. However, with semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) devices, the poor thermal conductivity of the buried insulator layer (e.g., the buried silicon oxide (SiO2) layer) on which the SOI devices sit limits the dissipation of heat generated during device operation. This lack of heat dissipation can cause, for example, a low saturation current, a limited maximum allowable frequency, a reduced lifespan, etc. Furthermore, as the size of SOI devices continues to be scaled, the negative impacts of the lack of heat dissipation can be exacerbated. Various different techniques have been suggested to provide heat dissipation for SOI devices. However, these techniques tend to increase the manufacturing costs and complexity, increase power consumption, and/or result in current leakage. Therefore, there is a need in the art for SOI devices with heat dissipation features and methods of forming such SOI devices at a low manufacturing cost and high efficiency.